Coin sorting machine



March 15, 1932. c. SCHWARTZ COIN SORTINGMACHINE Filed July 23, 1 25 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Earl Schwartz March 15, 1932. .c. SCHWARTZ 1,849,318

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com SORTING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 |||I uilllllllllll "Patented Mar. 15,- 1932 um'ran STATES PATsur OFFICE CARL SCHWARTZ, OF ELKHABT LAKE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOK TO BRANDT AUTOMATIC CASHIER COMPANY, OF WATERTOWN, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION 01;" WISCONSIN COIN SOB'IING MACHINE Application filed July 23,

This invention relates to coin sorting machines.

This invention is an improvement over that disclosed in United States Patent Number 1,526,762 for coin sorting machines issued to me February 17, 1925, and has the same general objects as those set forth in such application.

In coin sorting machines which employ a selector disk and a distributor or mechamsm for receiving coins from the selector in a synchronous manner, difficulty has been experienced in properly timing the parts and in maintaining the timing when the machine becomes wedged or even slightly jammed. When this occurs, the timing is disturbed anld the machine does not function proper y. Y

This invention is designed to overcome the above noted defects, and objects of this invention are to so construct and associate.

the selector disk and distributor that absolute synchronism is maintained at all times even under abnormal conditions and to provide a machine in which jamming cannot occur.

Further objects are to provide a coin sort ing machine which will receive the coins in a haphazard manner, which will automatically and rapidly sort the coins, which has a An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the machine.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the hopper and the associated parts, such view being partly in section.

Figure 3 is a view of the machine with the selector disk removed and with the plate over the distribution chutes removed.

Figure 4 is an edge view of the distributor,

1925. Serial No. 45,573.

Figure 5 is a bottom view of the distribuview being fragmentary and a development of the distributor.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a tion of the sorting member.

Figure 8 is a view of the slide with the hopper broken away.

Figure 9 is a sectional view on 'the line 9-9 of Figure 2.

, Figure 10 is a fragmentary View of a ortion' of the hopper with .the clamping olt removed. 1

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view of the ring which is interposed between the sorting disk and the distributor.

As shown in Figure 1, the machine comprises a tilted hopper. This hopper has a cylindrical wall and a bottom wall 2 arranged in a slanting manner, as illustrated particuporlarly in Figure 1. 1 Within the hopper a distributor 3 is mounted and a selector disk 4 is directly attached by means of screws or other members to the upper end of the distributor so that the selector disk and distributor form a unitary structure.

An annular ring 5 is interposed between the distributor 3 and the outer portion of the selector disk and projects between the portion of, the selector disk which overhangs the pockets inthe distributor, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

The ring 5 is seated upon a shoulder 6 formed in the hopper 1 and is held in place by means of the removable portion 7 of the hopper. This removable portion is attached to an outer ring 8 and, as shown particularly inFigures 2 and 9, a pair of tie bolts 9 extend through notches in this ring and through notches formed in ears 10 of the hopper 1. Preferably, a pair of tiebolts 9 are provided and are located upon opposite sides of the hopper, as shown in Figure 2, so that loosening of the tie bolts will permit ready removal 'of the parts of the machine.

It is to be noted from Figure 1 that the hoptension 10.

the upper coin.

the slide 11 is held in contact with the inner sides of the hopper by means of a spring 12 which has its ends fastened to the slide, and which is hooked beneath a projecting member or hook 13 ri idly carried by the hopper exn this manner, the slide is drawn against the sides of the hopper and also is urged downwardly in a yielding manner, such slide being free to move upwardly in case the coins crowd below the slide to a sufiicient extent.

It is to be noted, particularly, that the lower face of the slide 11 is beveled, as indicated at 14, so that coins thrown into the hopper in a haphazard manner and contacting with the curved face of the slide will travel downrality of notches 15 in its outer edge which are adapted to receive a single coin selected from the hopper, such notches being of a size to hold a coin of any denomination which is handled by the machine. These coins rest upon the rin 5 and are swept around by the disk 4, such isk rotating in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 2.

The coins are prevented from lodging 1n pairs, one above the other, in the notches ofthe selector disk by means of a spring urged projecting finger 16. If desired, this finger may be provided with a small roller at its lower side, as indicated in Figure 2.

It is to be noted from Figure 2, that the finger 16 projects through a slot in the wall of the hopper 1 and is urged by means of a spring 17 inwardly, the outer end of the finger being pivoted to the adjacent portion of the hopper, as shown in Figure 2. This finger is spaced upwardly a slight distance from the selector disk 4 and permits a single coin to ride beneath it. However, if two coins are lodged, one above the other, it will d slodge Further than this any crooked coin of too great a distortion to be conveniently handled by the machine is dislodged by the finger 16. In addition to this, however, it is to be noted from Figure 2 that the coins in the lower portion particularly, of the hopper and along the sides, will roll against the sides of the hopper as they are swept around by the selector disk 4. Thus a crooked coin will very quickly work out of the notch 15 in the selector disk. However,

if this does not occur, the finger 16 will remove such coin.

In the upper portion of the hopper, a shield plate or guard plate 18 is provided, as shown in Fi res 1 and 2. This guard plate is space a slight distance above the selector disk 4 and prevents coins from dropping through the aperture 19 formed in the annular rin 5, as shown particularly in Figure 11. It is to be noted from Figures 1 and 2 that the opening 19 through the ring 5 is located immediately below the uard plate 18.

Coins swept around by the selector disk 4 will ride upon the face of the ring 5 and when they arrive at the opening 19 will drop through such opening in a single manner and into the pockets 20 of the distributor 3.

seen that as the coins are swept along the ring 5 they arrive at the'opening 19 and slide through such opening into one of the pockets 20.

It is to be noted particularly that as the coins tilt in the openings 19, they fall upon the slanting faces 21 of the pockets, as indicated in the central portion of Figure 6. This slanting face 21 guides the coins into the vertical portion 23 and thus causes such coins to assume a vertical position. In this connection, it is to be noted that a pocket 20 is positioned beneath each of the notches 15 in the selector disk 4 and thus there can be no variation in the synchronism of the operation of the selector disk notches and the pockets in the distributor as the selector disk and the distributor together form a unitary structure.

The coins standing on edge are swept around the annular channel-like ring 24 (see Figures 1 and 7) which is carried within the hopper and which seats against the side faces of the hopper and against the bottom thereof. The lowest portion of this channel-like member 24 is provided with cutouts 25 arranged in a stepped manner and of diii'ercnt widths corresponding to coins of different dimensions. This member 24 is in reality an angle iron in cross section and the vertically positioned coins thus rest within the channel and'are slid along such channel by means of the distributor 3. When they arrive at their proper sized opening 25 in the member 24, they drop through at such point and enter the appropriate slot or chute 26 formed in the sorting head 27 of the machine, shown most clearly in Figure 3. This sorting head is bolted directly to the base 2 of the ho per and to a support 28 Figure 1) whic carries the coin receivin trays 29. The sorting head 27 is provided with a removable cover plate 30, as indicated in Figure 1, to give free access to the interior of such head when needed. a

The driving mechanism for the machine is extremelysimple as it is only necessar to drive the unitary structure consisting o the distributor 3 and the selector disk 4.

As shown. in Figure 1, a relatively large fiber gear 31 is mounted upon a projecting lower hub formed as an integral portion of the distributor 3. It is urged against a metal washer'32 positioned adjacent the distributor 3 by means of a plurality of leaf springs 33 whose curved outer ends bear against a correspondingly curved annularportion of the fiber gear 31. These springs 33 are removably held in position by means of screws 34 which pass through such springs and into the base of the distrlbutor 3. Thus a yielding drive is provided for the distributor in a very simple manner which permits relative sliding between the distributor and the gear 31 under abnormal conditions. The gear 31 meshes with a small pinion 35 carried by a short shaft 36 projecting through the base 2 of the hopper. The'lower end of the shaft 36 carries gear 37 which meshes with the driving pinion 38 of an electric motor 39. This electric motor is mounted upon a slanting bracket 40 which continues to the hopper and supports-the hopper,'as shown in Figure 1. The lower end of this bracket is supported by means of a standard 41 projecting upwardly from the base 42 of the machine.

From reference to Figure 1, it willbe seen that a very rigid support of a simple nature has been provided which, as just described, consists of the standard 41 extending up wardly from the base and holding bracket 40 of the motor. This bracket in turn is rig idly attached to the hopper and the hopper is attached by means of the distributor head 27 to a bracket 28 at the forward ortion of the machine, such bracket in turn eing carried by means of one or more uprights 43 projecting upwardly from the base 42.

In order to insure the correct centering of the distributor 3, it is mounted upon a shaft 44 which is carried within an elongated bearing indicated generally at 45. This elongated bearing insures a correct positioning ofthe distributor and of the selector disk 4 and preferably such shaft is provided with a shoulder to aid in the correct positioning of the distributor, as shown in Figure 1.

In operation, coins are dumped in a haphazard manner into the hopper and falling against the slide 11 are turned and presented in a fiatwise manner to the selector disk 4.

This selector disk rotates and carries the coins within its notches 15 to the opening 19 in the ring 5. As this point the coins fall into the distributor on edge within the c annel member 24 of the hopper. The are swept around by the distributor and all through their appropriate sized openings in the cutaway portion 25 of the sorting member, as shown in Figure 7.

From this point they ass into their correct ockets 20 and are stood.

From actual tests conducted with this machine, it has been found that the machine can run continuously for any length of time and will, as stated above, rapidly and accurately sort coins furnished such machine, in a haphazard manner.

It is to be noted that the machine is of'extreme simplicity and has a very small numand is, therefore, to be limited only as claimed and it is expressly understood that the term ring, applied to the element 5 in the claims, covers a flange, plate or other equivalent.

7 I claim:

1. In a coin sorting machine including a hopper adapted to receive coins, a ring within said hopper and having an opening therethrough, a selector disk having coin receiv; ing pockets and rotatably mounted above said ring, a distributor mounted within the hopper and below said ring and having pockets corresponding to those in said disk, andasorting member mounted below said distributor and having apertures therethrough of different widths to receive coins of different denominations.

2. In a coin sorting machine including a hopper adapted to receive therein coins, a ring carried within said hopper and having an opening therethrough, a selector disk having pockets for receiving the coins and rotatably mounted above said ring, a distributor mounted below said ring and having pockets corresponding to those in said disk, and a sorting member mounted below said distributor and having apertures therethrough of different widths corresponding to coins of different denominations, said distributor and said selector disk being rigidly connected.

i 3. A coin sorting machine comprising a distributor having a series of. pockets openhaving an opening through which coins may.

pass from the notched dislnto the distributor, and a sorting member mounted below said distributor and having openings therethrough' for coins of different denominations.

4. In a coin sorting machine including a hopper having a slanting bottom and having a sorting member in communication therewith, said sorting member having apertures therethrough for coins of different denominations, a distributor mounted within said hopper and having pockets therethrough for the reception of coins, an annular ring covering the upper ends of the pockets and having an opening therethrough, a notched plate secured to said distributor and over-riding said ring, and said notched plate adapted to move the coins within said 'hopperto the opening within said ring.

5. A coin sorting machine comprising a tilted hopper having an upper portion and a lower portion held to ether by removable tie bolts and provided wi h a sorting member'at its lowest side, said sorting member having apertures of different widths for coins of different denominations, a distributor mounted within said hopper and having pockets therethrough for the reception of coins, an annular ring located above said distributor and having an openingtherethrough, said ring being clampedbetween the upper and lower portions of said hopper and a notched disk revolubly associated with said I distributor and mounted above said ring.

6. In a coin sorting machine comprising a hopper having therein a coin selector and a distributor rotatable in unison, a driving gear yieldably held to the under side of said distributor, and a driving pinion meshing with said gear.

7. In a machine of the class described, the

' combination of a casing and a coin sorting means in direct communication therewith, a distributor within said casing and adapted to convey coins to the sorting means, a coin selector fixed to said distributor, said selector and distributor having corresponding coin receiving pockets, a ring stationary with respect to said casing and positioned between said selector and distributor, and said ring controlling thepassage of the coins from the selector to the distributor at a certain point prior to their discharge into said sorting I means.

8, In a machine of the class described, the combination of a coin receiving hopper and a sorting means, a coin selector and a coin distributor within said hopper, said selector and distributor having corresponding coin receiving pockets, said distributor adapted to convey coins from said hopper to said sorting means, a ring stationary with respect to said hopper and adapted to permit the passage of coins from the selector to the distributor at a predetermined point, and said point being in advance of said-sorting means, to permit the coin to position itself within the distributor pocket during the movement of the same for proper reception by the sorting means.

9. In a machine of the class described, the

, combination of a coin receiving hopper and distributor rotating in unison about an inclined axis, and releasable means connected to said distributor for rotating the same.

11. In a coin sorting machine including a hopper into which coins are haphazardly placed, a distributor revolubly mounted within the hopper, a selector revolubly mounted within thehopper and adapted to feed one coin at a time to the distributor, and means for driving the distributor and selector in unison.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

CARL SCHWARTZ. 

